


there's room for two (six feet under the stars)

by lakeffectkid



Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Domestic, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Purple Prose, Soft Im Jaebum | JB
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 06:23:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11708664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lakeffectkid/pseuds/lakeffectkid
Summary: “Let's get away, Jinyoung.” Jaebum says one morning when there's snow on the ground, winter chill settling through their bones even with fleece comforters, and warmth in his heart every time Jinyoung smiles and his eyes crinkle at the corners. “When it's spring, let's go somewhere together.”





	there's room for two (six feet under the stars)

**Author's Note:**

> so, i'm not new to writing but i am new to posting what i write. when I saw the comeback teaser pictures I knew I had to do something about it, and ~5k words of jjp happened.

“Let's get away, Jinyoung.” Jaebum says one morning when there's snow on the ground, winter chill settling through their bones even with fleece comforters, and warmth in his heart every time Jinyoung smiles and his eyes crinkle at the corners. “When it's spring, let's go somewhere together.”

Spring comes and it's warm; it passes in a quick blur but between filming and magazine interviews and work jaebum reserves a modest little airbnb just for themselves to escape to. They get a whole week off and Jinyoung packs more books than clothes while Jaebum promises the cats he's not leaving forever; his own suitcase is small but dense. “Ready to go?”

Jinyoung smoothes an imaginary wrinkle in the loose knitted sweater he's wearing - there's a stretched and gaping hole in it that he's fixated on. The shoulders are a little baggy and the cuffs are stretched out too. “Jinyoung?”

“There's a hole in this.” he says flatly, like it'll magically come back together if he keep saying it. “this used to be yours, hyung.”

“I know, I gave it to you.” Jaebum rolls his suitcase and stacks jinyoung's duffel bag on top; they say goodbye to a sleepy dorm and the chaos of the city for a woodsy cabin. “Besides, it looks better on you.”

°°°°°°°

Jinyoung sleeps in the backseat of the car with the window rolled up on his side to block the chilly early morning air. His hair is artfully displaced and jaebum has to focus on the road even more than usual so his eyes don't stray from it and wander to jinyoung instead. He put on a podcast to kill time when Jaebum was distracted, something bordering on mind numbingly dull to Jaebum but he loves jinyoung enough that podcasts don't bother him anymore. Nothing jinyoung does now bothers him anymore, they're not seventeen and new to the world of idols. Jaebum has learned to love jinyoung's idiosyncrasies. 

Jaebum puts his own music on partway through the trip and sings along without disturbing the sleeping beauty in the backseat - he only pulls over a few times to stretch his legs and use the rest stop bathroom. At every opportunity he wants to join jinyoung in the backseat to run his fingers through the other's hair and kiss his face until he stirs. But he keeps driving with the gps guiding him, stretches of highway turning into older roads that pass by even older buildings.

Jinyoung wakes up right as they arrive, somewhere between Daegu and Busan instead of Jinyoung's hometown like they talked about. Gyeongsangnam-do is quiet and sleepy; the bed and breakfast only has one bed but that's never been an issue. 

Jinyoung navigates the speaking part of checking in a little easier, slipping into his dialect again and jaebum breathes a sigh of relief. Being around jinyoung is good for his internal batteries because jinyoung does more of the talking when it's only the two of them. Here they're not famous or idols, they're just two normal people. 

The host doesn't say anything when she hands over the keys to two men sharing a cabin. Maybe she's being polite by keeping her opinion to herself or maybe she's confused. Either way, it's theirs for the next few days.

Jaebum rests his head on jinyoung's shoulder in the car, enjoying the silence and clean air to breathe. Somewhere there's a brook running and birds flutter by them. “You've been driving all day, let's take a nap.”

Jaebum collapses on the bed before jinyoung has the opportunity to walk around and see the cabin. It's small but it has everything they could possibly need - a bed, a kitchenette, and a bathroom. There's a grill outside. “look, hyung. Tv and Wi-Fi.” And maybe some modern amenities too. “I'm going to get something for dinner, where are the keys?”

Jinyoung isn't wearing his face mask when he goes. Maybe it's the feeling of anonymity or being away from the city where nobody will be asking for an autograph that made jinyoung change his mind. “next to the sink.”

“I'll be back later.” Jaebum nods as he loses consciousness, curled up around a clean pillow with the fading memory of jinyoung kissing his forehead just as he was leaving. 

He wakes up and it's dark; jinyoung is back and has tteokbokkie and soup that's supposed to be good for your health. “thank you for getting dinner.” Jaebum makes a mess of eating and Jinyoung puts his food down on the small table to cradle his face and wipe it clean, licking the sauce that burns hot on his tongue (but not as hot as how he feels around jaebum, how being secluded teases the idea for too many what ifs). 

When they finish jinyoung opens the wine bottle he picked up in town as well; they channel surf and settle on some ridiculous drama for background noise.

It's past eleven pm and Jinyoung changes into pajamas, moonlight spilling into their little hideaway and illuminating their night. Jaebum’s eyes roam over the curve of his spine and down a little more, how his body has grown over the years and filled out in the right places. The white knitted sweater goes back on with nothing underneath.(His chest is on display, the slightest tease of stomach that is soft and malleable enough that jinyoung is still ticklish.) It's a test of Jaebum’s willpower or a test of his need. Half of the wine bottle is gone and their plastic cups are empty, “Come here, I missed you.”

Jinyoung's smile is catlike and bordering on smug when Jaebum gives in and beckons him forward, promising him the world. 

They don't fuck - it's not rushed or desperate in any sense of the word. It's slow and leisurely love making, too much foreplay and talking to amount to anything. Jaebum picks jinyoung apart like the hole in his sweater, pulls him to the edge and stops to admire how good he looks with starlight streaming through the window, dusting jinyoung's skin with a shine that doesn't exist in Seoul. It goes on until they're both worn out and content, tired from kissing and from making up for lost time.

Jaebum pulls on sweatpants and leaves the rest of his clothes off, scattered to the floor. Jinyoung sleeps in just his underwear, entwined with jaebum.

°°°°°

Jinyoung is gone when jaebum wakes up and he looks around in a panic. There are groceries for the next few days sitting on the floor. 

He's outside sitting on a woven chair reading when jaebum greets him good morning, inhaling deeply. “I love it here.” 

“Come back inside when you're done reading “ jaebum has no plans at all for their days off; he thought about sleeping some more or writing until he ran out of space in his notebook. “We can keep doing what we did last night if you want.”

Jinyoung doesn't recall anything in the last chapter of his book, only the overwhelming feeling of happiness in his stomach that bubbles and spills out as jaebum leaves the cabin door open and sings unabashedly. He throws caution to the wind and takes jaebum up on his offer. “close the door behind you, Jinyoungie, I want some more privacy.” 

(They don't get privacy often, not with a shared living space and a busy schedule looming over their heads for the foreseeable future. “A comeback?” it was a running gag that it would happen, mostly encouraged by their groupmates. 

It hasn't been just the two of them for a while. Jaebum’s palms sweat with nerves, the same pressure to perform weighing heavily in his stomach and suppressing his appetite unless jinyoung sat down with him to eat. “What are you thinking about, hyung? You've got that look on your face.”

“It's nothing.” Jaebum reclines back into jinyoung's chest and feels the rise and fall of it and the steady beat of his heart. “Are you going to finish those strawberries?”)

Jinyoung lounges in the bed with just a sheet covering himself for decency, the afternoon light coming in through the little window. They haven't thought about work, about their comeback or anything substantial besides each other. Jaebum takes a pull from the now empty wine bottle, a soft red flush taking over his face. He's tipsy, if the relaxed body language and the simple “I love you.” is enough of a hint. “Should we go out for dinner tonight? What if someone sees us?”

Jinyoung sits up in bed and he feels a little dirty and a little proud of the work he's done to jaebum’s back - it's dotted with scratches and his broad shoulders have nail indents from their earlier trysts. “I think we should take a shower and then see what's in town.” 

Jaebum blushes even harder, unstyled hair falling in his face when he laughs. “We smell like sex and depravity, don't we?”

“We're disgusting.” Jinyoung deadpans and it's not serious at all, not when his expression cracks and fades into something soft.

The water pressure in the shower isn't the best but in nature it's easy to forget and get lost in the scenery. Jaebum would usually accompany jinyoung in the shower but there's not enough space, and if he's being honest, a little alone time is necessary. “I'll wear something that makes me look handsome.”

Jinyoung runs his hands over Jaebum’s shoulders, lightly squeezes the defined muscle. “You always look handsome.” Jaebum picks up the mess they've made and sobers up quickly; clothes that might be dirty are sorted into piles, refilling their water bottles and throwing out the trash they've accumulated. Jinyoung doesn't take long showers, he prefers to spend time picking his outfit out while Jaebum uses too much warm water. 

Jinyoung's hair is damp and he startles Jaebum when he hugs him from the back. He smells like pine and lavender, like clean clothes and home. “Your turn.” Jaebum hurries off to shower after receiving a pinch on the ass and an innocuous smile as if Jinyoung didn't do anything wrong. 

The shower is refreshing and Jaebum feels a little guilty about the disaster that the bed is, but they paid the cleaning fee and aren't bad guests overall. What they have isnt' always about sex, it's about the emotional intimacy that comes with five years of knowing Jinyoung and how they've adapted to being around each other.

He loses track of time and the water starts to run cooler than it already is - he shouldn't let his mind wander when his better half is waiting for him. 

 

There's a breeze drifting through the cabin from an open window and Jaebum dabs cologne on his neck and wrists to dress up his simple outfit. “I asked the owner where a good place to eat is, she gave me a few and I looked them up.”

“Put it in the gps and you can choose the music.” Jaebum grabs the keys off the counter with one hand and takes jinyoung's with the other. “Tell me all about that book you're reading.”

“You mean when we weren't having sex? I only managed a few chapters before you lured me away.” Jinyoung laughs and keeps his hold on Jaebum tight. “It's about a young man who falls in love with the sea and finds something else there. Right now I've only met the main character.” His bookmark is tucked safely inside the book; the spine is still crisp and stiff. 

The gps directs them all the way to a hole in the wall restaurant, if it can be called that. There aren't many places to sit and the smell from the kitchen wafts through the entire room. Only the owners and their teenage daughter are there to run it. “Sit wherever there's an open table.” 

Jinyoung sidles up next to Jaebum in a booth away in the corner, taking in the warm lighting and warm atmosphere. Everything on the menu is tradition and home made. “Are you two staying at the bed and breakfast? The owner always sends her guests here.” 

“We are, it's very relaxing.” They shift a little bit apart, enough space between them so nobody assumes anything about them. “We haven't done much else besides sleep.”

“You should try the forest trails, it's very romantic.” She winks at them and asks what they want to eat.

An hour or two passes and they decide it's time to leave. They pay in cash and politely say their thanks to the family, full of enough food to last them the evening.

“Pull over there, hyung.” Jinyoung's hand rests too high on jaebum’s thigh, touching the inseam of his jeans with increasing pressure. “Get in the backseat.”

Jaebum has a feeling he knows what Jinyoung wants, killing the engine and getting out of the drivers seat. Nobody's around and it's a scenic view. “We won't have time to be us for a while,” He fusses with some flyaway hairs, pushing jaebum flat in the backseat of the car and straddling his thighs. “and I was kind of mean to you with those scratch marks, so.” 

Jaebum’s vision goes fuzzy when jinyoung stretches and takes his shirt off; he doesn't think he's able to get it up when all they've done is have sex for the last two days. “Don't make me regret this, Jinyoungie.” 

“I’d never regret anything you do to me.” The sweet broken sigh of relief when jaebum sucks a bruising kiss on his clavicle sounds better than any song he'll ever write. 

Jinyoung kisses with the same amount of heart that he puts into his acting, kisses Jaebum like they're two halves of the same soul that belong together regardless of what people think.

After their detour they come back to the cabin and settle in with a movie that serves as low quality entertainment. Popcorn slowly cools down inside the bag and it'd be a romantic moment if the acting wasn't terrible and Jinyoung wasn't pointing that out at every opportunity. “I wasn't very good in either dream high movie, before you say anything.” 

“You tried your best.” Jinyoung scowls at a particularly bad moment where the lead actress has to act upset when the male lead is laying in a hospital bed. “She just looks constipated right now.” Jaebum tries not to laugh but he can't help it. Some popcorn tips out of the bowl and onto the bed and floor. “What? She's supposed to be the up and coming star of this decade.”

Jinyoung is absolutely adorable when he's flustered, shedding that perfect idol facade he crafted over the years. “The way you talk about acting is cute, is all. You love singing but you were made to be an actor too.” He doesn't take praise without trying to downplay it and seem humble from seniors in their industry but praise from Jaebum makes him blush. “Jinyoung-ah, do you like it when I give you compliments?”

(The popcorn bowl finds refuge on the small nightstand out of harm's way.)

The question is rhetorical. The hand on his waist creeps under his shirt and pushes the hem up as it climbs higher until it grazes his ribs and settles there. “Stop it,” Jinyoung squirms and arches his back at the touch. “You already know the answer to that.” 

A low, burning hint of want ignites and it's too soon, not when the bites on jinyoung's neck are still fresh and bloom in purples and reds. “Trying to be shy? You weren't very shy earlier when you kept asking for more and clawing my back.” 

Moving from his reclined position to sitting on Jaebum’s thigh, Jinyoung likes the friction of denim against denim where he's hard and needy. “Because you're good at what you do” It's his turn to decorate Jaebum’s throat and clavicle with kisses - jaebum groans like he's dying and places a hand on jinyoung's ass to anchor him in place when he rocks back and forth. “I'm too sore to fuck again, but we can do something else tonight.” The tv is still on with the volume turned down. 

“I'll be good to you, just tell me if you want to stop.” Jaebum kisses Jinyoung's temple and his other hand goes to Jinyoung's ribcage. “Do you want to come like this, riding my thigh?”

Jinyoung doesn't whine or whimper, instead he buries his face in Jaebum’s neck and smells his faded cologne to keep him grounded. “I want my pants off, first of all.” 

Jinyoung sits up and it's dizzying how erotic the entire scene is; Jaebum getting hard in his pants and his collar disheveled in just the right way so a little bit of skin peeks out - Jinyoung shimmies out of pants that taper at the ankle so they sit in a pile on the floor. Their lube bottle is waiting with the cap open and Jinyoung shivers not because he's cold, but because he wants this. “Come back, Jinyoung, let me make you feel good.” 

He says he's too sore to fuck again but the allure of having Jaebum inside him again is too much. 

Jinyoung doesn't have very far to go, passes by the book about the foolish young man who fell in love with the sea upturned so its spine cracks open. Jinyoung is that foolish boy and Jaebum is the sea - and he's willing to drown in him. 

°°°°°°°

Morning comes and this time Jinyoung wakes up alone but the smell of tea soothes him well enough. He's adjusted to the fresh air smell now and going back to Seoul will be too jarring and hectic. There's a post it note next to the tea kettle with Jaebum’s messy handwriting on it.

'I went out to explore the woods and write. I didn't want to disturb your sleep so I left tea on warm for you when you wake up. Take some time for yourself today and catch up on your podcasts, I know you've been meaning to do that.  
JB'

It's curt and to the point but it's so Jaebum’s style to show he cares without saying it. The tea is aromatic and Jinyoung drinks two cups before checking his messages and he does, in fact, have podcasts to catch up on. The best place to catch up is on the lounge chair outside.

Somewhere between podcast numbers five and eight jinyoung is nose deep in his book and forgets to check his phone for a sign of Jaebum returning. It's still early in the day with plenty of sunlight and he deserves a break from being their group leader and everything that comes with it (the good and the bad aspects). He'll come back when he's ready, jinyoung thinks, turning to a new chapter and watching chipmunks fight over an acorn.

The kettle sits cold on the stove inside and he debates another cup but his stomach growls. Maybe he'll make lunch from what he purchased earlier in the week and some for jaebum to eat when he gets back later.

Nora would normally jump up and sit beside him if he were in Jaebum’s room, butting her head against his hand for attention. Now there's nobody, no soft meowing or paw pads on the floor and Jinyoung feels a little lonely. The wooden deck creaks under his bare feet and it's a wonder he hasn't gotten a splinter yet - the bottoms of his jeans touch the ground and Jinyoung remembers why they fit differently and aren't rolled to the ankle.

They're Jaebum’s jeans, worn at the knees and the inner thighs. He doesn't button them entirely, just pulls the zipper up and leaves them open a bit where his sweater hem bunches up. (Jinyoung runs his palms along the material that's seen better days and had too many trips through the wash.) 

He's had enough of nature for now; he wants to go into town and explore. 

Jaebum follows the footpath and the sound of running water past the cabins and into the forest - he left jinyoung behind this morning when inspiration struck him. It struck hard and gnawed at him until he did something about it. So he packed a notebook and a few pens along with his headphones and phone to disappear for the day. 

Walking without jinyoung by his side doesn't feel like there's a piece of him missing. He was someone before jinyoung came into his life; an only child and bearing the weight of his family's name on his shoulders before he carried the weight as leader. He's always been responsible for someone even if it was only himself. But now he has other people in his life and Jinyoung came before his groupmates, so he ranks a little higher on the list.

Twigs crunch under his feet and he takes pictures of the surroundings to remember the trip; they still have three days and they could fit a trip to Busan in if they wanted to. He doesn't stray too far from the dirt path that dozens of others have taken before him, wearing a trail for him to follow. Along the way a stray cat follows behind him and Jaebum doesn't miss a beat, extending his hand for the stray to sniff for approval. “Do you wanna stay with me for a while?” The stray meows and butts its head against his hand. “It's a deal.”

There's a convenient bench sitting by the stream in the ankle length grass. It's too early in the year for bugs and the gentle cover from trees provide enough shade; the stray cat jumps up on the bench to get comfortable. Jaebum feels bad that he didn't bring anything for it to eat as it flicks its tail to and fro, lazily purring while he scratches behind its ears. “Are you hungry? I'm sorry I don't have anything for you, I didn't know I'd make a new friend out here.” 

The cat rolls over, bats at a leaf that blows by and chirps at it until the wind takes it away for good. Jaebum finds a sense of normality in his little guest who doesn't make much noise and prefers to jump on his shoulder (except when sharp little claws dig into his skin. He's not a fan of that.) It doesn't meow like Nora or sleep on his pillow like Kunta, or play with clothes strewn on the floor like Odd. But all cats are good regardless.

When he fills enough pages to feel satisfied with his time spent writing he sends jinyoung a text. I'm on the way back. They both have a set of keys to the cabin. “I can't take you back with me, I already have three cats. I don't mind if you follow me back, though.”

The stray, as if it understood him, trots happily behind him and Jaebum debates if a fourth cat is too many.

Jinyoung goes into town and visits dusty shops, small businesses on main streets composed of a few stores and homes off in the distance. A coffee shop stands by itself and it's too modern looking to be here but the fresh sight lures him in. 

The cabin is calling him back, back to the queen bed and the chance to have lunch. He's unsure if he could live like this forever now that he's adjusted to Seoul. 

He cracks all of the windows open and stretches out on the bed now that Jaebum isn't here to take up every inch of it. His book was waiting too - he's left off where the young man wades chest deep in the sea and gets swept away by a wave, swallowing salt water and submerged under it. He doesn't know if the sea is a metaphor for something deeper that he’s experiencing or if he's reaching too far. 

Jaebum unlocks the cabin door and there's a plate of food in the fridge left just for him. He had every intention of cooking for Jinyoung but the opportunity escapes him too often. And there's Jinyoung, asleep on the bed as if he's modelling for yet another magazine, his boyishly handsome face resting as if he belongs here. 

It's tantalizing how good Jinyoung looks - that same holey sweater from their first night here layered on top of a long sleeve shirt and jeans that don't belong to him. _They're mine_ Jaebum thinks, quashing any impure thoughts. He wondered why he couldn't find them earlier, they must have been covered with the blanket kicked to the floor. He's wearing Jaebum’s jeans and didn't bother to button them up entirely. 

Jaebum swallows a dry lump in his throat. Jinyoung's throat is still dotted with hickies and his shoulder too - he's using one arm as a pillow and the other one tucked under it. The hand that's hanging over the side of the bed is palm-up and jinyoung's fingers curl gracefully inwards. He's always had a certain thing for Jinyoung's hands, how his long and graceful fingers grasp mundane objects like microphones or chopsticks and Jaebum’s heart rattles in his chest. They're a contrast to his own hands where his are smaller with thicker fingers, jinyoung's wrap comfortably around Jaebum’s wrist til his fingers overlap. Jaebum always gives special attention to his hands and gifts lotions to him to keep them looking beautiful like the rest of him.

Ideally, Jaebum thinks, one day a ring would look nice on those hands too.

Jaebum walks quietly towards the bed as to not wake him so he can admire jinyoung for a little while longer. His eyes are closed and Jaebum crouches on the wood floor to look at his face up close. It's beautiful - His full eyelashes look soft and there's a hint of a blemish that makes Jinyoung look human. 

Having the luxury to leave proof of their relationship is one neither of them take for granted when cameras follow them everywhere and outfits are unforgiving with necklines. Jaebum wants to ruin him while he's asleep, his beautiful unconscious body coming undone under Jaebum’s touch. But he doesn't.

Jaebum sits on the section of the bed that Jinyoung isn't monopolizing - it dips at his weight and jaebum traces the sharp outline of Jinyoung's jawline with his pointer finger, drags his finger over jinyoung's plush mouth and licks his own lips. His face will be prickly with facial hair within a few days and Jaebum won't admit out loud that he likes the feeling of five o clock shadow along his skin, but it's a sensation he's not opposed to. It'd be easy to push the other's sweater up and drag the (seemingly useless) zipper down and see what's underneath, crossing a boundary they haven't discussed yet. 

He doesn't. 

Rolling his sleeping beauty onto his back, Jaebum positions jinyoung so he doesn't lose feeling to the arm he laid on - Jaebum traces over the marks he left earlier with soft kisses, replaces the fading ones with new ones and Jinyoung moans in his sleep.

“You're mine, Jinyoung-ah.”

 

Nightfall leads them both outside to stargaze and sit on the wood deck. They don't get the chance to do this in the city, not with the never-ending light pollution and their busy schedules. Jinyoung carries the same blanket that was kicked to the floor now in his arms (folded again, of course). They don't talk for awhile and listen to the sound of nature instead, the other guests milling about in their cabins, and Jinyoung fidgeting around to get comfortable. 

“Do you want tea?” Jinyoung is on his feet before Jaebum has an opportunity to answer, already inside to fill the kettle. “I'm making some anyway, just leave the door open so I can see you.”

The lack of formality in his speech would have set off Jaebum’s temper five years ago - now it's less annoying and more affectionate when Jinyoung scolds him for not sleeping enough or leaving the window open when it's cold outside. The weak hold Jaebum had on the other's shirt is no match for his determination.

He leans back on his hands and something pops in his lower back; he misses the comfortable weight of Jinyoung resting on him but the unpolluted sky makes up for it. (Only the shrill and sudden kettle whistling breaks his one man staring contest with the stars, as if he's offended that they dared to shine brighter than Jinyoung already does.) “Here, wait for it to cool.” 

It smells sweet and tart, like the plum teas his mother used to brew when he had a bad day at school. Jinyoung's is a different color. “Maesil tea?” Jaebum takes a sip of his own. His is definitely plum. 

“It's not strawberry, this was the next best thing.” Jaebum places his mug on the deck and his feet are cold from being outside. “Let's unfold the blanket, you're shivering.”

°°°°°°°

They're a few hours out of Busan (and by default, Jinhae.) - Jinyoung calls home to see if anyone is there and his mother picks up on the first ring. “It's only Jaebum-hyung and I, we took our week off together.”

I'm so glad you have a friend as good as him, it'll be wonderful to see you boys again. Give us a call when you're close, alright?

Jaebum laughs at jinyoung and his neck situation, his own isn't much better. “We'll be there by dinner, is that alright? Yes we'll drive safely.” 

They pack up their stuff and pile in the car in record time.

The highway is kind to them with clear phone service so their friends know they haven't been eaten by a bear yet. “Mark says it's quiet with four people not at the dorm.”

“Tell him we'll bring plenty of noise back with us if he really wants it.” 

“I think he's been playing a lot of overwatch lately, he needs human company. Yugyeom and Bam went bowling with their group chat friends so Mark hasn't had anyone around.”

Two hours pass and they pull into Jinyoung's old neighborhood an hour out of Busan. Here they don face masks and hats, a steady stream of greetings and hugs from the Park family that Jaebum is unofficially a part of. He's welcomed in like the second son and Jinyoung's sister's dote on him as much as they do to their little brother. “A whole week off and you didn't come down right away? I guess you two are inseparable.” 

“Hyung and I will be working as jj project again, we thought it'd be a good idea to relax before the work really begins.” Jinyoung's eldest sister laughs and pulls out a bent photo card that came with their first mini album, pushing it in her brother's face. “Noona, please.”

“You two looked so cute, you were only eighteen and far away from home. Jaebum had that blond hair too,” of course he did,it was what the stylist wanted. “You've grown so much and I haven't been around to see it!"

Sleeping in Jinyoung's childhood bedroom is one more square to check off the relationship bingo board - it's been painted over and turned into a small guest room now. “My parents are glad to see you.” Jinyoung weaseled his way into using their washing machine on the condition that he does the laundry. “Mom can't stop fawning over how handsome you look now.”

“Your mother might not like me as much if she knew what we've been up to in that cabin.” 

“My sisters have an idea about us. They won't ask me about it but I want them to just so we have an excuse to tell someone else besides our groupmates.” 

“They don't care?” Jaebum’s parents would be less than thrilled. The only child status makes life slightly more difficult. “We have time, maybe things will change.”

Those words aren't supposed to comfort Jinyoung, it's meant to comfort Jaebum even if they don't.

 

Not a minute passes where Jinyoung's mother isn't trying to push food on them - it's endearing and they both missed that feeling of being cared for when they've been taking care of each other for the last five years. “It's hard to keep my hands off of you.” Jaebum bats away the other's hands and sees from the crack in the open door that one of Jinyoung’s sister's is visiting. “Hyung, one kiss?”

“You're bad for me, Jinyoung.” Jinyoung's sister overhears their conversation and it's rude to spy on her little brother, but the moment she ends up seeing is tender. Jaebum holds Jinyoung so softly and kisses his cheek first and then his forehead, ducking his head from shyness before Jinyoung pulls him even closer by the belt loops and wraps his arms around Jaebum’s neck. “You're insatiable, aren't you?”

The moment of realization strikes his sister like lightning. Jinyoung whispers something indiscernible into Jaebum’s ear and they can't help but break out into smiles. “I love you.”

“Me too.” she was unsure of what jaebum meant to her brother before and now she knows. 

 

Their trip to Jinhae only lasts two days - Jaebum has been to Busan before for only a few days on tour and fan meets but Jinyoung knows this city like the back of his hand after a handful of day trips as a child. They're limited as to where they can go without being recognized but there's always the beach and face masks to take some anxiety away.

It's difficult not to be in each other's personal space when Jinyoung's parents make them sit next to each other at every meal and find it endearing how they communicate without words. His mother asks if they've met any girls and the stock reply is that they've been too busy to date. It's half of a lie but his parents buy the excuse, praising their hard work ethic and piling Jaebum with compliments about how proud his parents must be of him. 

It's later, after Jinyoung's father pulled Jaebum aside and poured him a drink to have a chat about how jinyoung is doing because he sometimes forgets to call home. Jaebum isn't going to lie to an adult. (“He's doing well. When he gets in a working mood I don't want to interrupt that.”

“That's why you two were brought together by fate, you complement each other.”)

“Should I shave? You didn't mind it before.” Jinyoung's sporting faint stubble on his face and Jaebum envies his ability to grow any in the first place. The bathroom is small and the fact five people under one roof shared it at one point goes beyond what he could comprehend. “Not in a speaking mood?” 

Jaebum nuzzles into the shoulder in front of him. His hair is a different color now in preparation for their comeback. “Not right now. And I don't mind if you shave or not, you look fine either way.”

The vibrations from Jinyoung's laughter courses through Jaebum like an earthquake. “Your parents are exhausting.”

“They mean well.” Jinyoung's mouth tastes like toothpaste when he kisses Jaebum goodnight and his face is soft to the touch as he's done getting ready for bed. “We're going to Haeundae Beach tomorrow.”

Tall buildings fill the sky by the beach with too many lights and too much steel and it looks like Seoul on a smaller scale - there's crowds and a busy metro that isn't always on time but gets the job done. Jaebum pulls his face mask up higher and his hat down further to mask his identity, always walking a step behind Jinyoung maintaining their well kept secret. His hand itches to be tethered to Jinyoung's, fingers woven together like the red string of fate tied in a knot around them. 

“Can we leave tonight? I miss our cabin.” Jinyoung asks when they pull into one of the many restaurants that serve the morning's catch. “I also left my book there and I want to finish it.”

“I’'ll drive.”

Haeundae Beach is prettier at night, Jinyoung asserts, getting lost in his home city and laughing it off as they walk in circles and end up in the shopping district. When it gets dark and Jaebum becomes needy they find a secluded part on the now-empty beach just to breathe. Distant noise from traffic sounds familiar and the anxiety of being out in public gradually subsides.

The sand feels cool between their toes and they can shake their clothes clean later; Jinyoung scrunches his nose up at the idea of wading in the water but he abandons his fears at the shoreline and wades in ankle deep. He’d rather stay on the shore where the sand keeps him firm on the ground rather than be distracted by the skyline reflecting on the water, creating an illusion of colored stars floating in front of him. 

Jaebum has a hand on the small of his back, sweatpants rolled up to the knees and a smile plastered on his face so wide his eyes seem to disappear. “Don't let go of me.” 

“It's impossible for me to do that.” Their noses brush and it's easy to close the gap but they don't. Not here, not now.

They pack up again after the one hour drive back to Jinhae, treading quietly through the house so as to not wake Jinyoung’s parents. “Leave a note for your parents, jagiya. Let's get out of here before it gets even later.” 

Jinyoung feels giddy, sneaking out of the house that he no longer lives at with Jaebum in tow and their bags in the car. “Don't forget the food mom made for us, I miss her cooking.” 

They're like lovesick teenagers caught up in the rush of doing something foolish in the middle of the night, risking getting caught and scolded. Jinyoung makes the bed in his old room while Jaebum checks one last time in case they forgot anything. Neither of them had typical teenage experiences and the rush that follows when Jaebum gets in the driver's seat and pulls Jinyoung in for a quick kiss feels like pure electricity in his veins. 

The cabin is in the same state as they left it two days ago when the keys slide into the lock. Their time left here is limited and it's the elephant in the room, that they have to resume their lives in one day and keep their adventure a secret. 

°°°°°

Day six starts late; Jaebum’s back giving him trouble from too much activity and too much driving. Jinyoung lays him on the bed and works the knots out one by one until Jaebum is a mess and moaning “God, yes, your hands are like magic.” unable to stay still. 

Jaebum sinks into the mattress and Jinyoung sinks down on his cock after, easing the tension in his own body the best way he knows how. It feels a little wrong to be tainting the beautiful scenery with their obscenity (but they had no problem doing it earlier, yet somehow now it feels wrong) - Jinyoung cries out Jaebum’s name when he finishes and the mess is all over his hand.

Jaebum licks Jinyoung's sticky fingers clean as jinyoung trembles and finds it difficult to breathe, like he dove headfirst into the water and is being dragged to the bottom.

The thing is, Jinyoung has come to discover over the years, is that Jaebum is the sea luring him away from the shore. Jaebum is still the same person he met five years ago, rough and jarring and overwhelming at times but Jinyoung gives himself to Jaebum willingly again and again because he likes the predictability. Like the tides coming in and out.

Jaebum isn’t only the sea - now he’s the lighthouse in the midst of it all that Jinyoung looks for when he’s lost. Their lives are entwined like fishing nets wrapped up in each other by the ocean’s current, destined to stay together despite everything happening around them. Jinyoung is pulled out of his wandering thoughts by Jaebum pushing a water bottle in his open hands and telling him to drink. “You look like you were spacing out.”

“Just thinking.” He takes a few big sips from the bottle and remembers where he is. “I think we’ve been away from civilization for too long.” 

“We’re not even that far away, you’re being dramatic.” Jaebum doesn’t leave his side until he finishes the entire water bottle, even going so far as to check for a fever. “We shouldn’t let your mother’s cooking go to waste, let’s eat.”

Jinyoung flips through tv channels and Jaebum feeds him from his chopsticks before he eats anything - the gesture pulls at Jinyoung’s heart. 

 

“Do you think we could get married one day?” It's a hypothetical question, they both know it's a far-off dream. Their parents expect grandchildren, society expects them to marry and be role models for the next generation of idols - there's little room for their relationship.”I know it's a long time away from now.”

Jaebum had drifted in and out of consciousness while Jinyoung read aloud the last chapter of his book; he felt the gentle carding motions through his hair and shifted around on the blanket tossed over the other's lap. He was too much like a cat, happy to curl up in the sun with company. 

“Do you think it'll be legal by then?” Jaebum squints and covers his eyes to block out the sun; they migrated to the small porch and are enjoying the daylight. “Even if it wasn't legal I'd do it anyway.”

There's a little bit of a waver in Jinyoung's voice that sounds eerily like a crack. “You would?” 

The sun is blinding but Jaebum sits up anyway and his legs feel stiff from laying down for so long. Jinyoung sniffles and wipes his eyes with his sleeve, pretending Jaebum didn't see him crying. “For you, anything.” 

Twenty three is too early to have your life figured out - Jinyoung is certain of that. But he's certain that Jaebum will be a part of it forever as long as he has a say.

°°°°°°°°°°

The next morning they're up early and returning the keys to the owner. 

Instead of Jinyoung sleeping in the backseat and Jaebum driving the roles are reversed. “It's too bright out.” Jaebum grumbles and rolls over so he faces the seats instead of the sun. “Put your sunglasses on, Jinyoung, I don't want you to hurt your eyes.” 

“Yah, don't worry about me. Worry about yourself until we get back.” The engine rumbles to life again and Jinyoung pulls out of the small parking lot to get on the main road. “We'll stop and get you a coffee if you behave.” 

The end of their trip is bittersweet; they can't run away from responsibility forever but a well earned break is justified. Jinyoung puts on a playlist of Jaebum’s favorite songs and sings along until they hit Seoul traffic and their bubble pops. 

“Hyung, we're home.” Jaebum is blearily rubbing his eyes awake as Jinyoung takes their bags from the back. “We can go back to sleep when we get inside.”

It's been the two of them from the very beginning and even when they get dogpiled by five others upon entering, it'll always be the two of them.


End file.
